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Beijing's push for renewable energy projects across Africa has been highlighted at a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of a new Chinese-led geothermal power plant project to be built in Kenya's Great Rift Valley.
State-owned energy and construction company PowerChina will build the 35-megawatt Orpower 22 geothermal plant at the Menengai Crater, with the facility owned by Chinese firm Kaishan Group, which is spending US$93 million on the construction.
During the ceremony, President William Ruto said the plant will raise the country's global ranking in geothermal production to fifth overall, and "highlights our commitment to unlock Kenya's vast geothermal potential to drive economic growth".
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Kenya was the first African nation to harness geothermal power, which uses heat from the Earth to generate electricity, but Ruto said just 10 per cent of the country's geothermal energy has been explored.
"So far, we have tapped only 950MW, a small fraction of our geothermal potential of nearly 10,000MW, leaving immense opportunities still untapped," he said.
Last year, PowerChina commissioned another 35MW geothermal power plant in Kenya, owned by Sosian Geothermal Power Station. It followed a 14-year contract between China's Kaishan Group and Kenya's Sosian Energy to run the geothermal plant before handing it back to Sosian after its investment has been recouped.
The Kenyan power plants represent a growing footprint of Chinese-built or funded renewable energy projects in Africa - from solar and wind to hydropower projects. It follows Chinese President Xi Jinping's 2021 pledge to stop financing new overseas coal-fired power plants and increase funding for renewable projects instead.
This was reinforced in September at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit in Beijing, when part of the action plan said China would "encourage investments in a range of renewable energy projects across Africa".
Xi also pledged US$51 billion in African financing over the next three years, with part of that to go towards clean energy and green development initiatives, including 30 specific projects.
Kenyan President William Ruto, second from right, at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Kenyan geothermal power plant. Photo: Xinhua alt=Kenyan President William Ruto, second from right, at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Kenyan geothermal power plant. Photo: Xinhua>